


Not So Long Ago

by brethilaki



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Ancient Egypt, Ancient History, Biblical References, Canon-Typical Violence, Coda, Episode: s08e21 The Great Escapist, Feels, Gen, Memory Related, Pesach | Passover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-03
Updated: 2013-05-03
Packaged: 2017-12-10 06:28:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/782883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brethilaki/pseuds/brethilaki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coda to 8.21 The Great Escapist - what happened in Egypt that Castiel was forced to forget?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not So Long Ago

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by some tumblr headcanon that Castiel has met past incarnations of Dean's soul and each time been wiped of the memory.

The angels flowed in and out of houses like a poisoned river killing, according to their mandate, the first born son of every family.

Castiel flickered into a dark and unmarked home where he heard two hearts pounding and sensed two souls shining—a boy barely a man stood in front of a smaller black shape protectively, brandishing a sword too big for him. He needn’t have bothered—Castiel recognized him immediately as the eldest and the boy behind him a younger brother. They must have been alerted by their neighbors’ cries of distress, but little good it would do them when Castiel surged forward (as the boy swung his sword), gripped his shoulder tight (so tight it would surely leave a mark on the corpse), his Grace inflating and overspilling his vessel until he

stopped.

Froze.

The boy brought the weapon down onto the head of Castiel’s vessel repeatedly but Castiel ignored it. Something inside him stirred—a doubt, a niggling question, and a sudden awe at the soul lain vulnerable before him. It must be blasphemy to destroy something so beautiful. How could any creation so lovingly crafted not be chosen for salvation by God? The glory of Heaven was dull by comparison.

Zachariah stormed into the house, pushing Castiel aside like a curtain.

“He is chosen!” Castiel protested, swiftly but in vain. “He must—his soul—!”

“The door was unmarked.”

“No!” Castiel cried as Zachariah touched the boy, who doubled over hacking blood and moaning. The younger brother sprung forward with a desperate cry, held his brother’s head and weeping picked up the sword. Castiel crumpled to his knees, reached out to touch the fading bruise of his hand print on the dying boy’s shoulder, Zachariah’s words echoing.... _“Wasn’t marked.” “Marked.” I marked him—should have marked it myself—mark him sooner—mark him—_..... reached out to touch and heal the boy but he was already dead and his brother dropped the sword with a clatter and wailed, and Zachariah sighed.

“You’ve always had.... too much heart.” He touched Castiel and the world went white.

 

“No!” cried Castiel in growing horror of something he couldn’t remember—or maybe it was not remembering he feared— “No, no, no!”

“Cas!”

“No!”

“Cas—fuck! Calm down, it’s okay!”

White dulled to dark, not the ancient dark of a forgotten night.... but the same soul blazed before him, living and whole.

“You’re _safe_ , Cas, come _on—_ I can’t deal with this much crazy right now!” Dean’s eyes flickered between Cas and the left side of the back seat of the Impala where Sam slept fitfully.

“Dean?”

“Right here, Cas. You okay now? You good? ’Cause I can’t hold your hand right now, I gotta drive.”

“Yes... I’m fine. I apologize. I was experiencing a... memory.”

“Okay...” Dean said slowly, a little incredulously as he started the car and pulled off the shoulder. “We’ll stop next place we see for tonight, you just hold together till then and we can go the rest of the way in the morning.”

“I’m sorry, Dean. That will not happen again.”

The acknowledgment of a grunt.

 

Cas wondered how many times it had happened—how many times had he met this soul only to have the memory stolen?

Cas set his jaw: this time would be different. Dean was marked, inside and out, Cas was aware, even Zachariah was dead. This time, they would win. This time, he would remember.


End file.
